Star lubrisizer question

[stiles]

I'm considering buying a new magma star lubrisizer with no options and getting the dies and the L-handle from Lathesmith. How often would you need to adjust the pressure screw when lubing a single groove bullet like a H&G 68 copy?

Thanks!

[Springfield]

About every 20 bullets, more or less.

[Bradley]

I'm considering buying a new magma star lubrisizer with no options and getting the dies and the L-handle from Lathesmith. How often would you need to adjust the pressure screw when lubing a single groove bullet like a H&G 68 copy?

Thanks!

The Magma uses wax instead of grease. Magma only sells wax. I suppose you could find grease that would fit but you'll have to buy it elsewhere.

I have both a Magma and a Lyman 4500. I far prefer the Lyman.

[stiles]

Thanks Springfield that pretty much sums it up. I was thinking about getting the air feed for the lube but I'll wait on that, cranking the screw every 20ish isn't bad for now.

Bradley I'm pretty sure you can use pretty much whatever lube you want as long as it will flow at whatever temperature you can provide. I've never payed too much attention to what Magma sells as far as lube but it makes sense that they would sell hot lubes seeing as how their market is mostly commercial casters. Grease based lubes present a whole bunch of packaging and migration issues for them. Funny thing is my preference in lubes aren't too far off, low smoke, clean and no migration, so it's going to be Carnauba Red for me.

[Texasflyboy]

For the H&G #68 I get about 20 or so also between turns on the pressure screw.

I use surplus candle wax off of eBay. Smells really good. I use a mechanics light leaning against the lube reservoir, almost touching. I turn the light on the night before I want to lube and by morning the lube is flow perfect.

Sometimes, when I am in a rush, I wrap the light and sizer with a large terry cloth bath towel to trap the heat and get the lube flowing faster, but this is hit and miss. Sometimes it gets too hot and lube flies out everywhere.

Leaning the light (75W shock proof bulb) against the tube seems to work best.

What I've found works best for me is to have a little ramp, from an old Hot Wheels racing track, under the sizer to "catch" the bullets as they fall out. They simply roll along the track into a little cardboard box underneath the sizer. Anytime I happen to walk into the loading room I grab a handful of 68's and size them. In a week I can have a .30 caliber ammo can full, sized, ready to load this way.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Definately go with the star + dies and handle from Chris (Lathesmith). I did and have not looked back..... I also do NOT miss my Lyman 4500.....

[cajun shooter]

The Star is by far the best at doing it's intended purpose. The extras help make it much easier to use. My first Star was bought in 1971. I now run two of them with all the extras on both. Texas flyboy, I would be worried about the towel catching on fire. Before buying my heaters from Magma I used a method that worked pretty good. Mount your Star on a 1/2 in piece of aluminum that extends behind it by at least 10 in's. Buy yourself a good travel iron. They are smaller,lighter and seem to have good temperature controls. Set the iron on the aluminum and find that perfect setting. No fire danger either. Once you have the air cylinder, you won't go back. You don't need a loud running compressor to use it inside. Buy yourself a 7 gal air tank and hook it up. You don't use air on a Star but just maintain a pressure. I fill my tank to 125 lbs and use it for weeks with the same air that I started with. Later David

[Springfield]

And for those who don't have a compressor, or room or money for a compressor, I hook up my Stars to a small Sears tire inflation compressor. Costs about 30 bucks and goes up to 300 psi(they say). Been using it for 5 years now, keeps my air feed fed just fine, it is small and cheap. Run it off an old alarm battery, but any old car or motorcycle battery would work fine.

[plumber]

When I first got my star, I was used to every other boolit on the Lyman so I was loving every 20 or so. Now every 20 or so it too much!!